Irish Shore Fishing

WICKLOW COAST

Brittas Bay fishing.

Brittas Bay south is one of the open beaches anglers quote when they mean Wicklow surf fishing. Bass along the wave line, smoothhound on spring nights, and ray species in the catch record make it a serious mark, not a family paddle beach only.

1 mark · Wicklow coast

Browse all marks Today's plan

Marks

Spots near Brittas Bay.

Every mark in the Brittas Bay area. Browse the guides, then Today's plan for ranked session picks.
MarkBrittas Bay (South End)Premier Wicklow bass beach, smoothhound on summer crab baits, respect surf and undertow on big days.

From the shore

Fishing Brittas Bay.

Access is via the south beach car park; arrive early when conditions are good because space is limited. The beach can look inviting in calm weather yet fish poorly if you ignore tide phase: local pattern favours falling tide and some water movement. Brittas is exposed to southerly and south-easterly wind; do not set up a long camp session if swell is building. It pairs well with a Greystones pier backup the same day if the surf wins. Fish it when you want space and surf, not when you want an easy first session.

Species calendar

What runs near Brittas Bay.

Month-by-month shore calendar for species recorded on marks in this town.
Brittas Bay species by month
SpeciesJFMAMJJASOND
BassJan: QuietFeb: QuietMar: QuietApr: PossibleMay: GoodJun: GoodJul: GoodAug: GoodSep: PeakOct: PeakNov: PeakDec: Quiet
CodlingJan: QuietFeb: QuietMar: QuietApr: QuietMay: QuietJun: QuietJul: QuietAug: QuietSep: QuietOct: GoodNov: PeakDec: Peak
DabJan: GoodFeb: PeakMar: PeakApr: GoodMay: PossibleJun: QuietJul: QuietAug: QuietSep: GoodOct: GoodNov: PeakDec: Peak
DogfishJan: GoodFeb: GoodMar: GoodApr: GoodMay: PossibleJun: PossibleJul: PossibleAug: PossibleSep: GoodOct: GoodNov: PeakDec: Peak
FlounderJan: GoodFeb: PeakMar: PeakApr: GoodMay: PossibleJun: QuietJul: QuietAug: QuietSep: PossibleOct: GoodNov: PeakDec: Peak
MackerelJan: QuietFeb: QuietMar: QuietApr: QuietMay: QuietJun: GoodJul: PeakAug: PeakSep: GoodOct: PossibleNov: QuietDec: Quiet
PlaiceJan: QuietFeb: QuietMar: PossibleApr: GoodMay: PeakJun: PeakJul: PeakAug: GoodSep: PossibleOct: QuietNov: QuietDec: Quiet
SmoothhoundJan: QuietFeb: QuietMar: QuietApr: QuietMay: PossibleJun: GoodJul: PeakAug: PeakSep: GoodOct: PossibleNov: QuietDec: Quiet
Thornback RayJan: QuietFeb: QuietMar: QuietApr: QuietMay: GoodJun: PeakJul: PeakAug: PeakSep: GoodOct: PossibleNov: QuietDec: Quiet
WhitingJan: PossibleFeb: PeakMar: PeakApr: GoodMay: QuietJun: QuietJul: QuietAug: QuietSep: QuietOct: GoodNov: PeakDec: Peak
Quiet
Possible
Good
Peak
Current month (Sep)

Access

Getting there.

Parking
Brittas Bay South car park, pay and display in season.
Public transport
No direct public transport. Bus from Dublin to Wicklow town then taxi.
By road
N11 to Brittas Bay exit.

Access note: Open surf beach: exit before swell pushes you off the shingle.

FAQ

Common questions.

What's the best fishing spot in Brittas Bay?

Brittas Bay (South End) is a well-known local mark: Premier Wicklow bass beach, smoothhound on summer crab baits, respect surf and undertow on big days. Open the plan page for ranked picks against today's conditions.

Do I need a fishing licence to fish from the shore in Brittas Bay?

No state licence is required for sea angling in Ireland. The state rod licence covers salmon and sea trout only. If you plan to target sea trout from the shore, a state licence is required.

When is the best time to fish Brittas Bay?

Spring smoothhound nights; autumn bass; ray species in warmer months.

From the shore

Articles about Brittas Bay.

8 min readBass Fishing Wicklow 2026: Best Marks, Baits and TidesWhere to catch bass on the Wicklow coast in 2026: the beaches and rock marks that produce, the baits and lures that work, and the tides to fish them on.6 min readPeeler Crab: The Complete Irish Shore Fishing GuideHow to find, identify, prepare and fish peeler crab, the bait Irish bass and smoothhound cannot ignore. Where to collect it and how to keep it fresh.6 min readSmoothhound Fishing Ireland: Beaches, Rigs and BaitSmoothhound from Irish east coast beaches, May to October (peak July to August). Peeler crab rigs, evening flood tides and Wicklow sand marks that score.

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Ready to fish Brittas Bay?

Check today's plan for marks, tides, and conditions on the Wicklow coast.